What Darkness Brings
by SarcasticWitch
Summary: The remaining crew of Serenity is still flying, and life seems to be getting back to normal. That is, of course, until another fugitive manages to get onboard… Things are about to get a whole lot more interesting. RiddickFirefly Crossover
1. 1: Something Wicked This Way Comes

**Summary:** The remaining crew of Serenity is still flying, and life seems to be getting back to normal. That is, of course, until another fugitive manages to get onboard… Things are about to get a whole lot more interesting. (Riddick/Firefly Crossover)

**Spoilers:** The entire Firefly series, Serenity (the movie), and both Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick.

**Disclaimer:** Firefly and Serenity both belong to Joss Whedon, Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick belong to Universal Studios and are produced by Vin Diesel. I own absolutely nothing. I swear. Nor am I making any kind of money off of this piece of writing. It's merely an idea I had, that wouldn't leave me alone.

**Rating:** MA (For language, violence, and sexual references)

**Genre:** Action/Sci-Fi/Romance

**Pairings:** River/Riddick (a little odd, I know), Simon/Kaylee, and hints of Mal/Inara.

"" -Dialogue, _**Bold Italics** -_Thought, _Italics_- Chinese

Translations:

Mei-mei- little sister

Feng-le- Crazy

Chapter 1: Something Wicked This Way Comes

_**Black, visions clouded by darkness… the world spins around, and flashes of another life play in my mind; a man, a boy, a woman, death, cages…hell, and then nothing. A flash of silver in the liquid darkness, and then a voice, gravely, strong…**_

**"_You keep what you kill" _**

_**Another voice suddenly invades my mind, a familiar voice, one that brings safety and love. I try to follow it, and feel arms around me…**_

"River! River, can you hear me? Shhhh _Mei-mei_, it's alright, I'm here."

_**Simon, my brother, my protector. I'm safe, safe here on Serenity, but not for long. I open my mouth, expecting coherent sentences to form, as they have since Miranda, but once more I am trapped within my own mind. Alone. **_

"I thought she was doing better?"

_**Captain Daddy is worried about me, his little albatross, his Co-Pilot. He shouldn't be, it's not me he has to worry about.** _

"She was…is. I'm sure of it."

_**Simon, he always gets defensive. I'm alright, I'm alright…**_

"I'm… al…right Simon, I'm alright."

_**My words are shaky, but I'm not babbling inconsequential nonsense, a good sign.** _

"_Mei-mei_? What happened? Are you…"

**_Suddenly a noise outside my room, a shape in the doorway..._**

"The girl _feng le_ again?"

_**The ape man always interrupts. The man with a girl's name. Jayne, he seems cold but he cares about all of us. He cares about me. Or rather he respects me, respects what I am. A weapon.**_

"Jayne."

_**Suddenly I'm afraid, no not me…Jayne. He knows a warning when he hears one, and a warning from Captain Daddy must always be taken seriously.**_

"Sorry Mal."

"Don't apologize to me, its River here you insulted."

_**I can hear his mind protest, the words forming into a retort, but he squelches them. He knows when to retreat.**_

"Sorry. Now if there ain't nothin endangering us, I'm goin back to sleep."

_**He leaves quickly. Dejected and embarrassed, he doesn't like being reprimanded in front of Simon. It makes him feel inadequate. I stop reading his mind, it's not my place. **_

_**Mal sits on my bed, he turns and looks at me questioningly. He wants to know what happened.**_

"A bad dream, no not a dream, a…"

"It's okay little albatross, take your time."

_**How do I describe it to those who did not see the darkness, the people, the places. How do I make them understand what I heard; the voice in the dark. **_

"A vision; a vision of things that have already been, and things that have not yet come to pass."

"A…vision? _Mei-mei_ are you sure you're alright?"

_**Mal doesn't say a word, he just looks at me. He isn't like Simon. He knows there are some things that cannot be explained away. I once believed everything had to be logical, had to follow a pattern. I know differently now. My own abilities forced me to see the truth. There are some things in life that you just don't question, visions of the future fall into that category. I gaze into my brother's eyes, I see the worry etched there, and I realize he has to know…**_

"He is coming Simon."

"Who?"

_**Simon looks at me curiously. I shift my gaze over, Mal watches me carefully, his eyes betraying his suspicion. He has every reason to be wary too…**_

"My equal."

_To Be Continued…_

_Next Chapter: We find out what been going on with Riddick. _


	2. 2: Escape

**Authors Note: **Sorry it took so long for me to update. It's been a tough week… First I had pneumonia, and then my mom was diagnosed with cancer. Hopefully I will be able to update more regularly...

**Summary:** The remaining crew of Serenity is still flying, and life seems to be getting back to normal. That is, of course, until another fugitive manages to get onboard… Things are about to get a whole lot more interesting. (Riddick/Firefly Crossover)

**Spoilers:** The entire Firefly series, Serenity (the movie), and both Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick.

**Disclaimer:** Firefly and Serenity both belong to Joss Whedon, Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick belong to Universal Studios and are produced by Vin Diesel. I own absolutely nothing. I swear. Nor am I making any kind of money off of this piece of writing. It's merely an idea I had, that wouldn't leave me alone.

**Rating:** M (For language, violence, and sexual references)

**Genre:** Action/Sci-Fi/Romance

**Pairings:** River/Riddick (a little odd, I know), Simon/Kaylee, and hints of Mal/Inara.

"" Dialogue, _**Bold Italics** _Thought _ItalicsChinese_

Translations:

Dong Ma- Understand

Chapter 2: Escape

**_They thought I would stay. Be their Lord Marshal. Like I would want to be chained to that position. Worse than a cage. Worse than slam. They didn't know me too well. I left that very night, didn't wait around to see what Vaako had planed for me. I should have killed the fucker, and had some fun with his wife. But I didn't. I had more important business, Kyra needed to be buried. No, not Kyra, Jack; she would always be Jack to me._**

**_I took one of their ships, and left, taking Jack with me. I wanted her to have a proper burial. I landed on Helion Prime, found Imam's family, and asked them to take care of Jack's remains. As soon as her body was buried I left, I wasn't going to stick around for Vaako to find me. I dumped the necro-ship on Helion Four, and "borrowed" a merchant vessel. Or rather I snuck on board, and then killed the captain, and his five crew members. _**

**_I decided to head to the oldest of the outer galaxies. The planets there were the first terraformed after people left Earth. The system consists of numerous planets, enough to get lost forever. The planets closest to the center of the system are called the "core" planets, and the ones on the edge of empty space are called the "rim" planets. The only problem would be the Alliance, the interstellar political body that governs the "civilized" worlds. They are more involved with the core planets, but they still have a way of medaling in people's lives. Hopefully with the recent controversy surrounding a planet called Miranda; and the Alliance's immoral experiments there, they won't have the time to bother me. Especially since I'm planning on setting down on a planet called Persephone, a huge city, run by local nobility. The Eavesdown Docks one of the lower-class slums is the best place to dock if you want to remain anonymous. No one really follows the rules there, and a sufficient bribe can get you almost anything. So that's where I'm heading…_**

**_As soon as I get to where I'm going I'm going to have to dump this ship, and find another. Maybe I'll hitch a ride…_**

* * *

**Eavesdown Docks, Persephone**

_**If one more of these fucking "captains" tries to get me onto their ship I'm going to kill someone. Shit too late.**_

"Hey guy, you look like your looking for a way off this rock. Look here at my beautiful girl, in perfect condition, a nice smooth ride, cheap too; I don't like to over charge my customers…"

**_I look at the piece of filth standing in front of me; he's obviously a scam artist. His boat is nothing but a piece of crap. Probably wouldn't break atmo. "His girl" my ass, he probably stole her… I start to move past him, but he grabs my arm with his greasy hands. Fucking hell, that's it…_**

"Get your hand off my arm before I rip it off, and beat you with it."

**_I grin menacingly as his eyes widen in fear. He lets go of my arm and backs up a few feet, still staring at me; scared shitless. Good, he should be. If this wasn't such a public place, and the middle of the day, I would kill him. Besides I'm already out of place, considering my size, my clothes, and of course the large black goggles I have to wear don't help any. Luckily or not, depending on how you look at it; the sun is bright today, and more than one person has protective eyewear on. Hopefully people will just assume I didn't have the cash to buy real glasses. Now to find a suitable ride, one stopping at some of the outer rim planets… _**

**_Four hours. Four fucking hours, and I still haven't found something suitable. I've carried my stuff around all day for nothing. I'm going to find a place to spend the night, and look again tomorrow if I don't find something soon. I look at the closest docking chart, there's only one new arrival since I last checked, hmmm… Serenity. A Midbulk transport, with a standard radion-accelerator core, Firefly class; should be a smooth ride. I walk through the crowd, towards the entrance ramp…_**

"Now listen here little Kaylee, we're taking on passengers again, and your in charge of finding them. Try to find us some good ones, more like Book than the Doc, _dong ma_?"

"Yes Cap'n."

"Good. Zoë, Jayne lets go, Badger doesn't like it when we're late."

"You taking passengers?"

_**They all turn to look at me. Everyone but the cute one in overalls looks suspicious, huh, that's interesting.**_

"We sure are! We're willing to take paying customers to either Three Hills or anywhere in the Georgia System. You can pay, right?"

"I can pay."

_**I set my bag down, and unzip it, removing the amount needed to cover my fare. I hold out the money, the girl takes it, and then hands it to one of the other men. Presumably the captain. He looks at me carefully, seems to be appraising me. Ha! Like he could possibly know who I am, and what he could be getting himself into. He seems to reach a decision and holds out his hand…**_

"I'm Captain Malcolm Reynolds, and this here is Serenity. Welcome aboard…"

_**I quickly shake his hand.**_

"Riddick. Richard B. Riddick."


	3. When Paths Cross

**Authors Note: **Wow. It's been a while. First I would really like to thank everyone who showed their support. Now on with the show…

**Summary:** The remaining crew of Serenity is still flying, and life seems to be getting back to normal. That is, of course, until another fugitive manages to get onboard… Things are about to get a whole lot more interesting. (Riddick/Firefly Crossover)

**Spoilers:** The entire Firefly series, Serenity (the movie), and both Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick.

**Disclaimer:** Firefly and Serenity both belong to Joss Whedon, Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick belong to Universal Studios and are produced by Vin Diesel. I own absolutely nothing. I swear. Nor am I making any kind of money off of this piece of writing. It's merely an idea I had, that wouldn't leave me alone.

**Rating:** M (For language, violence, and sexual references)

**Genre:** Action/Sci-Fi/Romance

**Pairings:** River/Riddick (a little odd, I know), Simon/Kaylee, and hints of Mal/Inara.

"" Dialogue, **Bold- Thought**, _Italics- Chinese_

Translations: Mei-mei- little sister

Chapter 3: When Paths Cross

I hear him in my mind, a loud echo. Richard B. Riddick. So the beast has a name. I see his deeds. His life flashes before my eyes. Blood, bone, pain. So much pain. No, not a beast. Furyan. Though I have never heard the name before, I mourn. Mourn for a people lost, their lives cut short. Like those on Miranda. He is alone. All alone. But, hunted. Oh yes, he is hunted. They are searching for him. They will never stop. The ones who love death. They have taken something precious from him He hates them… we must meet, he and I, now is the time.

My bare feet guide me towards the cargo hold. I see him then, from above. I look down upon my match, my equal. His back is to me, but I see his shoulders tense. He knows I am here. I see Kaylee walking towards him. But he does not relax. I continue to stare. I need him to turn, I need to see. I take a step forward, my stomach presses against the railing. Kaylee notices me then, my movement caught her eye. She looks at me, and smiles. The smile fades though, as thoughts of bounties, the Alliance, and Miranda come invade her thoughts. She's unsure. Doesn't know if the new "guest" and I should meet. I smile at her, and nod. Her smile returns, and with it, an invitation…

"River, honey. Come down here, and meet Mr. Riddick."

He is now watching me. I can tell. His eyes travel over me. Assessing me. Am I a threat? Or just a girl? I hide behind my hair, as I slowly make my way to the stairs. His gaze never leaves me. It burns my skin. My feet touch the cold metal floor, and I let myself look upon him. I tilt my head to the side, as I inspect. Black clothes, all black. Tan skin, not from sun, but his own natural coloring. And his eyes, hidden behind black frames. He is tall, though not as tall a Jayne. He has more muscle though… I look through the black lenses of his goggles, and into his eyes. This surprises him.

"Well, Mr. Riddick, this here's River. She's our pilot."

This seems to surprise him even more, though he masks it well. I finally tear my eyes away from him, and turn to Kaylee. She needs to leave now. I must keep her safe.

"Simon want's you." I lie.

Her eyes light up. She nods once. Then looks at me. A question in her eyes. I nod. She turns then. To go find my brother. I don't have much time. Simon will come looking for me, after Kaylee finds him. He will want to know why I lied. He must be protected.

As soon as she's gone, turn towards him. His head tilts, he's beginning to understand. His voice breaks through my thoughts, deep, gravely, dangerous…

"I don't think you realize who the fuck your dealing with, little girl."

"Richard B. Riddick. Murderer. Thief. Fugitive. Furyan. Lord Marshall. And now your alone. Always so alone. But they are hunting you. Those who would destroy all life. You did not escape, not fully, not this time."

His arm reaches out faster that I anticipated, his large hand, is around my neck. He pulls me forward, leaning down until our faces are only inches apart. The fingers around my neck begin to squeeze. Our breath mingles. The air between us heats up. I have a choice to make. I smile up at him. I sense his confusion, and then. I attack. I slam my forehead into his nose. His grasp loosens enough for me to escape. I bring my leg up, and around, a high kick aimed at his neck. He ducks. His massive arms reach out in an attempt to grab my waist. I skirt away. He is stronger, but I am faster.

Our dance continues. Spanning the entire cargo bay. We duck, punch, and kick. A stray thought from his head distracts me… he takes advantage. Slamming me into the wall. Pinning me with his larger frame. His forearm is under my chin, pressing against my windpipe.

"I'm giving you one fucking chance, girly. Who are you?"

"River."

More pressure against my windpipe. He growls.

"I am not fucking with you. Tell me. Now. Or I'll kill that cute girl… Kaylee. She smelt good. And the other one you mentioned. Simon… I'll find him. I rip him apart. I'll make you watch. Now. WHO ARE YOU?!"

"I am River. Murderer. Fugitive. Weapon. Secret. Girl."

"You better start making some fucking sense."

"I cannot. No longer have the ability. They took it from me. I try. But the words do not always form."

"How do you know? About me. Tell me."

"It is in my mind. It echoes. I can hear, see, smell, taste. All of it. Your life. Everything you would hide. I do not know why. Not completely. I try to stay out of heads. But not yours. Yours presses on me. It leaves me no choice. I have known of your coming for weeks. I saw you in dreams. And now you are here. Your purpose still unclear."

"Your saying you can read minds?"

"A simple explanation. But yes that is what the girl means. Do not worry though, Furyan. This girl will not lead you back to a cage. She too is on the run. Even though her picture is no longer posted. Your secret will remain safe. The girl will not even tell her family. Though you've nothing to fear from the crew. They take in strays."

"Your saying your not gonna turn me in? That you wont tell them."

"That is what the girl means."

"And what? I'm supposed to fucking trust you? That's bull shit. I'm not some newborn pup, who doesn't know how this universe works. Killing you all would be so much easier."

"Yes. But you wont. Too much death surrounds you. And I remind you of her. The girl with the boys name. What would she want you to do?"

"You little bitch. Don't you dare use her against me."

He slams my head into the wall. Then releases me, before turning away. I stand there gazing at his back. He quickly turns. His eyes boring into mine, even through his goggles.

"I'll give you one shot, little girl. If you screw me over. I'll kill every single one of your 'family' before your eyes. You'll see them all die. Do we have an understanding?"

I nod. There are footsteps approaching. Simon, and Kaylee. I know he hears them too. We both look towards the couple as they enter. Simon looks between us, before concentrating on me.

"River? _Mei-mei _are you alright?"

"Yes, Simon. I'm fine."

His eyes once more settle on Riddick.

"Your sure?"

I glare at him. Then turn towards Kaylee.

"He needs to put his things away."

"Oh! Of course. So sorry Mr. Riddick. Why don't I show you to the passenger dorms."

He nods at her, and picks up his bag. He glances at me, tilts his head. Then follows Kaylee.

"Your such a boob, Simon."

"What? I just… he's… we don't know him, River. He could have hurt you. Why did you send Kaylee away? You told her I was looking for her. I never told you that."

"We can trust him Simon. And, no, you never 'told' me. But you were thinking it."

He blushes. And begins to tug at his ear.

"Yes…well…um. Your sure your okay?"

I nod. He looks me over again.

"Alright. I have some more to do in the infirmary. The captain said this was a simple job. However, I think I should be prepared. Considering this crew's luck."

Once more alone with my thoughts. I let my mind wander. I think back to the fight. The moment he got the upper hand. That stray thought that passed through his mind. The one that distracted me. I let the thought echo in my mind. A smile graces my lips.

"He thinks I'm beautiful."

My whisper echoes in the empty hold. My smile widens. As I walk back towards the bridge. Back to Wash's chair. It's almost time to leave. Captain Daddy, Zoë, and Jayne are returning. I must be ready. It's going to be another close call.

_**To be continued…**_


	4. Something Amiss

**Summary:** The remaining crew of Serenity is still flying, and life seems to be getting back to normal. That is, of course, until another fugitive manages to get onboard… Things are about to get a whole lot more interesting. (Riddick/Firefly Crossover)

**Spoilers:** The entire Firefly series, Serenity (the movie), and both Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick.

**Disclaimer:** Firefly and Serenity both belong to Joss Whedon, Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick belong to Universal Studios and are produced by Vin Diesel. I own absolutely nothing. I swear. Nor am I making any kind of money off of this piece of writing. It's merely an idea I had, that wouldn't leave me alone.

**Rating:** M (For language, violence, and sexual references)

**Genre:** Action/Sci-Fi/Romance

**Pairings:** River/Riddick (a little odd, I know), Simon/Kaylee, and hints of Mal/Inara.

"" Dialogue, **Bold- Thought**, _Italics- Chinese_

_Translations:_

_Wuh de ma- Mother of God, or Oh my God._

Chapter 4: Something Amiss

"FUCK! Jesus Doc, ya think you can be a little more gentle. You're removing a bullet, not a rusty nail."

I sigh. Malcolm Reynolds can be such a child at times.

"I'm sorry Captain. I offered to sedate you…"

"No. Absolutely not. Not with that new passenger on board. I remember what happened when we took you lot on. I'm wantin' to be fully alert. Just in case."

I finally grasp the bullet with the extractors, and remove it slowly. The hollow sound the tiny piece of metal makes when placed in the receptacle rings through the infirmary.

"Captain…I well. I'm not sure exactly, but something… well, never mind."

"Come now Doc… what's going on. Is it something with Kaylee? You haven't broken her heart, or nothin? I would hate to have to throw you out the airlock."

"No! Nothing like that. I would never intentionally hurt Kaylee. It's about River actually... her and that man. Mr. Riddick."

"What about them? You think he's gonna turn her in? Well, turn you both over?"

"No… I don't know. It's just… something happened earlier. I know it did. River won't talk to me about it, but I'm sure I saw bruises on her neck. As if someone tried to strangle her. That man, she was alone with him, in the cargo bay. I'm afraid he did something to her."

"You trying to tell me that that man hurt your sister? My pilot?"

"Yes… no. I don't know. Maybe."

"There can't be no 'maybe' Doc. You gotta be sure. I can't go accusin' someone of something like that."

Movement by the door catches my eye, and I gaze up from stitching Mal's arm. It's him. Riddick. He's standing in the doorway. Watching.

"Mr. Riddick." Mal says calmly. As if we weren't just talking about the man.

"Captain Reynolds." It's the first time I've heard him speak. I realize. His voice makes me nervous. There's just something about it.

"There something you need? I'm sure Kaylee would be happy to assist you, as you can see I'm a little busy. What with the Doc fixin' me up and all."

The hulking man steps into my infirmary. I want to ask him to leave. I'm not sure I can finish with the Captain unless he leaves. His presence is overwhelming. I'm about to ask him what he needs, when Inara bursts into the room.

"Mal! Zoë… Zoë told me you were shot." She doesn't even seem to notice, Mr. Tall, Large, and Ominous, as she moves towards the Captains side. He notices her though. His covered eyes follow her movement. This isn't good. Not good at all. I glance at Mal. He's watching our guest too. And judging by the tension in his shoulders, he's not happy that Mr. Riddick is watching Inara either. She doesn't notice though, her attention remains solely on the Captain, her gaze moves to the wound I'm stitching and she winces.

"Don't worry Nara, it's nothin' big. The Doc here's takin' good care of me too. Ain't that right Doc?"

"Yes. There is nothing to worry about Inara. He's had much worse."

"See. I'll be right as rain soon enough."

She smiles, and seems to relax. It's at this point seems to realize that the three of us are not alone. She turns slowly, and takes in Serenity's newest passenger.

"You must be Mr. Riddick. Kaylee mentioned you. I'm Inara."

I'm a little surprised at Inara's curt greeting. She is usually more warm, and friendly. I think the Captain is shocked too. Maybe he unnerves her as well? Before Mr. Riddick can even respond she's at the door.

"I'm glad you're alright Mal. Simon, thank you. I'll see you at dinner."

And just like that she's gone. The captain and I look at each other, puzzled. Mr. Riddick's voice interrupts our confusion.

"I need a bandage."

I look at him and for the first time notice the blood on his arm.

"What happened?"

He looks at me, and tilts his head. I remove a bandage from the drawer, and hold it out. As he reaches over to grab it, I get a better look at his injury. _Wuh de ma_…

"I had a little accident. Walked into something sharp."

Walked into something sharp? His wound looks like it was made with fingernails, not a stray piece of metal. I'm about to question him further, when he turns and walks out. The Captain stands up, and buttons his shirt before looking at me.

"You know what Doc? I think you're right. Somethin's going on. On my boat. And I aim to find out what."


	5. Poison Apples, Confusion, and Options

**Summary:** The remaining crew of Serenity is still flying, and life seems to be getting back to normal. That is, of course, until another fugitive manages to get onboard… Things are about to get a whole lot more interesting. (Riddick/Firefly Crossover)

**Spoilers:** The entire Firefly series, Serenity (the movie), and both Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick.

**Disclaimer:** Firefly and Serenity both belong to Joss Whedon, Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick belong to Universal Studios and are produced by Vin Diesel. I own absolutely nothing. I swear. Nor am I making any kind of money off of this piece of writing. It's merely an idea I had, that wouldn't leave me alone.

**Rating:** M (For language, violence, and sexual references)

**Genre:** Action/Sci-Fi/Romance

**Pairings:** River/Riddick (a little odd, I know), Simon/Kaylee, and hints of Mal/Inara.

"" Dialogue, _Italics- Chinese_

Chapter 5: Poison Apples, Confusion, and Options.

I sigh as I set the auto-pilot… Captain Daddy and my brother are going to mess everything up before it even gets started. They are always interfering. Captain Daddy has every right to be suspicious, the girl knows this. Its his past… it won't leave his present alone. Been through too much. Too many poison apples… or at least apples that blow your head clean off. Simon is another story. He worries. He loves his life here, this is home now. He realized that. Doesn't want home to be taken. In his mind, everyone is out to get us. I love him, he gave up life for this girl. We're blood. Girl can look after her own pieces though… he just doesn't see it. Must let me go sometime. Right now, he's just being a boob…

I can feel their worry and suspicion. It makes the air burn. They haven't seen. They don't know. We need him. He must not be forced to leave. I must make them see… or at least, make them forget their worry. Dinner is going to be interesting…

**A devious smirk, on a pale, dark haired face, is all the forewarning needed…**

After retrieving the bandage from the Doctor, I'm rethinking my plans. They seem to be getting a little to wary. I may have to kill them all. Oh well. Jack would be disappointed, that girl was right about that. But Jack's dead. Rotting. She won't know. I'll make it quick. While they're sleeping maybe.

I'm nearing the mess, and I can hear the crew talking softly. They're talking about me. Fuck. Killing them is looking like the only option. I wonder if I'll get to dance with my girl again… wait. MY GIRL? Where the fuck did that come from? I swear if that little bitch is planting thoughts into my head, I'm gonna rip her to pieces.

"Not me." A whisper…

I turn to look behind. She's watching me through her hair, head tilted. She lashes out, and hits my arm lightly.

"No thinking bad thoughts…the girl will take care of it. No night visits."

"Stop reading my mind." I growl.

"Told you…can't help it."

She maneuvers past me, and enters the dining area. With a curse I follow. Seven pairs of eyes watch as I make my way to the only seat left. Next to the man, the large one. His name's Jayne from what the information I've gathered. Jayne's a girls name…

That little mind reading bitch giggles, from her place directly across from me. Damn.

"Oh! Mr. Riddick. You haven't met everyone yet… next to you is Jayne, and next to the Captain is Zoë."

This Kaylee is too sweet. She'll have to learn eventually. I nod head in acknowledgement, before helping my self to some food.

"So… Mr. Riddick." The Captain begins, "what business do you have all the way out here?"

Everyone seems to be waiting for my response.

"I'm actua…"

"Simon, this girl would like you to give her contraceptives."

Six pairs of shocked eyes are now solely focused the mind reading bit… girl. She glances up at me and winks.

"_Mei-mei_… what? I don't... What?"

"Contraceptives Simon. To prevent pregnancy."

"…"

"_Wuh de ma!"_

"_Tyen shiao-duh!"_

"Now see here little albatross, you have no need of anything like… that."

"Not little. Legal. Have all the right parts, in all the right places. Right Jayne?"

"JAYNE!?"

I glance over at the man sitting next to me. He's doing a fairly good impression of a fish.

"Now see here Mal. I have no ruttin' idea what the _feng-le_, moon-brain is talkin' about."

"Jayne, I'm about one second from throwing you out the airlock, unless you explain to me how you figure into this…"

"Jayne is the only option. Simon is my brother, illegal, and gross. Captain Daddy is otherwise occupied. Haven't made arrangements yet though. This girl will have to seduce. Shouldn't be too hard."

"River, honey… sex is complicated."

"Yea River, listen to Nara."

"Wrong. Sex is not complicated. Male becomes erect, and inserts his…"

"River!"

"_Wuh de tyen, ah_!"

"_Da-shiang bao-tza shr duh lah doo-tze!!"_

"What?"

"I meant emotionally complicated…"

"Also not true. The girl only wants the physical. No emotion necessary."

"Let's get back to how Jayne figures into all of this…"

"Let's not."

_**To be continued…**_

_Translations: _

_Mei-mei- little sister_

_Wuh de ma- Oh my God or Mother of God_

_Tyen shiao-duh- Of all that's sacred_

_feng-le- crazy_

_Wuh de tyen, ah- Dear God in Heaven_

_Da-shiang bao-tza shr duh lah doo- the explosive diarrhea of an elephant._


	6. Whispers in the Dark

**Summary:** The remaining crew of Serenity is still flying, and life seems to be getting back to normal. That is, of course, until another fugitive manages to get onboard… Things are about to get a whole lot more interesting. (Riddick/Firefly Crossover)

**Spoilers:** The entire Firefly series, Serenity (the movie), and both Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick.

**Disclaimer:** Firefly and Serenity both belong to Joss Whedon, Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick belong to Universal Studios and are produced by Vin Diesel. I own absolutely nothing. I swear. Nor am I making any kind of money off of this piece of writing. It's merely an idea I had, that wouldn't leave me alone.

**Rating:** M (For language, violence, and sexual references)

**Genre:** Action/Sci-Fi/Romance

**Pairings:** River/Riddick (a little odd, I know), Simon/Kaylee, and hints of Mal/Inara.

"" Dialogue, _Italics- Chinese_

**Chapter 6: Whispers in the Dark**

"River. I don't think you understand…"

This girl thinks they sometimes forget she's a genius. She understands more than most.

"She understands Simon, you don't want her to bring the 'man-ape' into her bed."

"River!"

"_Mei-mei_."

"Very well Simon."

"What?"

"This girl will not copulate with Jayne..."

"Oh thank God."

"So I'm not gonna be thrown out the airlock?"

"…"

I giggle slightly, and glance up, HE is watching me. A slight smirk on his face, I stare into the darkness of his goggles, almost sure I can see the silver that lies beneath. I open my mouth to placate Captain Daddy, and Simon when IT strikes… I know I'm screaming, but I can't hear myself. Flashes before my eyes; of death, so much death. Their metal armor, marching through streets, capturing, killing. The ones who can sense heat, the clicking, the pain. I see the destruction, all of it; all that's been, all that will be. The end. The door to a place where no one should tread, opening, swallowing the galaxy. The General, his wife. They will stop at nothing to find HIM. To lock him in a cage he will never escape from. The one who flows, like air. She calls to me, trying to tell me something across the winds. Suddenly its all dark, nothing but the empty dark. And I'm staring into the abyss, footsteps coming towards me, I tense. I cannot sense anything; I'm just a girl, with no defenses. Suddenly HE is in front of me; his eyes, liquid pools of molten silver, drawing me in, wrapping around my mind. He reaches out, hands resting on my shoulders; he pulls me towards him, until no space remains. I'm so small next to him, his breath at my ear…his voice…

"It'll be us against them, in the end."

I'm back, back on Serenity, back from the darkness. My back is on the floor, and my throat is raw. I open my eyes, and wince, the light hurts. I begin to hear my family… they're trying to reach me. I follow their voices, finding my way back. The fragments of my mind fit together, for a little while at least. My voice is hoarse…

"Simon…"

He's looking at me. Worry evident in his eyes, I see Inara quickly enter the mess. When she left and where she went, I don't know. She hands something to my brother. A smoother… I start to struggle, but Captain Daddy, Jayne and Zoë are holding me down. Kaylee is in the corner crying; and HE is watching me. His emotions hidden behind dark lenses. I feel the prick, then the weightlessness as the drug spreads through my blood. They need to know. I need to tell them before I slip away…

"The planet killers are coming, the death lovers."

As I fall into the darkness, I can just make out Captain Daddy's voice…

"Well… that can't be good."

**Authors Note:** I want to apologize for how long it's taken me to update. I want everyone to know that I'm not giving up on this story, but I'm a college student, and that makes life a little hectic. I will try to update again today or tomorrow, a longer chapter. I just wanted to get something out today…

SarcasticWitch


	7. False Truths

**Summary:** The remaining crew of Serenity is still flying, and life seems to be getting back to normal. That is, of course, until another fugitive manages to get onboard… Things are about to get a whole lot more interesting. (Riddick/Firefly Crossover)

**Spoilers:** The entire Firefly series, Serenity (the movie), and both Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick.

**Disclaimer:** Firefly and Serenity both belong to Joss Whedon, Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick belong to Universal Studios and are produced by Vin Diesel. I own absolutely nothing. I swear. Nor am I making any kind of money off of this piece of writing. It's merely an idea I had, that wouldn't leave me alone.

**Rating:** M (For language, violence, and sexual references)

**Genre:** Action/Sci-Fi/Romance

**Pairings:** River/Riddick (a little odd, I know), Simon/Kaylee, and hints of Mal/Inara.

"" Dialogue, _Italics- Chinese_

**Chapter 7: False Truths**

The whole damn ship is on edge. Damn girl, her little fit made things worse, made them more suspicious. They're all watching me, everywhere I go one of them is there; waiting for something. Waiting for me to do something? What the fuck am I going to do? We're in the fucking black, besides killing all of them there isn't much I can do.

The girl, she mentioned those fucking Necro-bitches, said they were close. I need to know how close, my plans may have to change… But first, getting to the girl.

I know they moved her to a passenger room, to make her more comfortable. That will make it easier for me, the infirmary has too many windows. I walk towards the passenger rooms, the captain and the doctor are there, talking quietly. My presence makes them both uncomfortable, I can tell. They should be fucking uncomfortable, I'm a killer. They don't know that of course, not yet at least. They may get first hand experience sometime soon… we'll see. I walk towards them, towards 'my' room. They both tense, I know I'm smirking, but I really don't give a shit.

"Turnin' in Richard?"

This captain has balls, I'll give him that. I turn to him, he's the one smirking now. His guard is up. Good.

"Well, captain, it's been eventful night, I think it might be best for me to… turn in."

The doctor is on edge now too. He looks at me, fear in his eyes. This is just too easy… Without looking back, I enter 'my' room and shut the door. I'm not going to be able to reach the girl for a while, they'll be watching her. That's fine… I know how to wait for the perfect moment. Might as well rest till then.

It's late now. There might be someone 'on watch' but that wont matter, they won't see me. It's dark on the ship now, which will make my life easier. I remove my goggles, putting them in my pocket. The door opens silently, good. I make no noise as I walk down the hall. I can see the doctor; he's sitting in a chair outside the girl's room. Asleep. I move past him, watching him for any signs of waking. This door opens silently as well; that little mechanic takes good care of this ship. I close the door behind me; I wouldn't want anyone to interrupt.

The girl is asleep, or unconscious. I stand over her, watching for a moment. Some of her hair is covering her face, I want to push it aside…Wait? I want to what? Fuck that. I pull out my shiv, and place the tip of it on her pale neck. My other hand covers her mouth.

"Time to wake up girl."

I didn't actually think that would work, but it does. Her eyes snap open, panic and fear in them, until she focuses on me. She relaxes then. What the fuck? I have a knife to her throat and she's relaxed? I push the tip into her a little further, almost drawing blood. I remove the hand from her mouth. She smiles up at me… How she can see me in dark, I don't know.

"Your eyes. They're pretty."

"I'm not pretty. I'm a murderer."

"So am I, but you think I'm beautiful."

I growl. I'm going to kill this girl.

"No your not."

Her hand reaches towards my face. I grab her wrist, squeezing the fragile bones, hard. She glares at me, her other hand comes up. I can either drop the first hand, the shiv, or let her do whatever it is she wants to do. I decide the latter. She has no weapon. Even with her nails she can't do much damage in this position. She's smiling at me again. Damn her. Her cool fingers touch my face, right under my eye.

"You see so much more. These eyes, so much. They're coming for you. I can feel them pressing on me…" she puts pressure on my temple, "here."

"Is that so, little girl?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"Why? Will you kill us? Steal our ship? Run? Are you that weak?"

I throw the shiv across the room, my hand going around her neck. I yank the little bitch off her bed, slamming her against the wall. I can tell I've knocked the air out of her lungs. I also know I'm making more noise than I should, but I don't really fucking care right now. I lift her, until only the tips of her toes are able to touch the ground.

"I don't know little girl. Am I that weak?"

She's gasping for a breath, her eyes meet mine, she smirks at me.

"Yes."

I slam her against the wall again, her head hits hard. I see the pain swimming in her eyes.

"Yes."

I pull out my second shiv, and press the metal tip against her abdomen. She winces. I can tell the lack of air is getting to her, she brings her hands up to wrap around my wrist. She looks me the eyes again.

"Yes."

"I'm going to fucking kill you, little girl. Then I'm going to kill everyone on this boat."

The cocking of a gun echoes around the room.

"Now I don't mind you cutting on moonbrain, she's cut on me once or twice. Hell I don't even mind you plannin' on turning her in. But thinkin' you gonna kill me in my sleep, well now, that don't sit right with me."

I can tell the door has been opened again…the lights come on. I close my eyes… Shit.

"Get your hands off my pilot, unless you want to know the feel of a bullet in your brainpan."

I let the little bitch go, and drop the shiv. She smiles up at me, her eyes bright.

"I said you wouldn't kill me, not tonight."

That little bitch… She knew this was going to happen? She's going to die. If I get sent back to slam, I'm going to make the torture she's been through so far seem like a tea party. Hell even if I don't get sent back, I'm going to kill her. She reaches into my pocket, pulling out my goggles. She puts them in my hand, her fingers lingering on mine for a moment longer than necessary.

"No. You won't… You should put those on now."

As much as I don't want to listen to the little whore, I know I have to. I pull on the dark lenses, and open my eyes. That little fuck is grinning up at me. I almost lunge at her, but the sound of a second gun cocking stops me…

"Jayne…"

I feel the tall man come up behind me, the impact of his elbow on the back of my head stuns me, I fall to my knees, my world fading into complete darkness. The last thing I hear before I pass out is that little bitch's voice…

"You can't throw him out the airlock Captain Daddy, not yet."


	8. Tiger, Tiger burning bright

Summary: The remaining crew of Serenity is still flying, and life seems to be getting back to normal

**Disclaimer:** Firefly and Serenity both belong to Joss Whedon, Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick belong to Universal Studios and are produced by Vin Diesel. I own absolutely nothing. I swear. Nor am I making any kind of money off of this piece of writing. It's merely an idea I had, that wouldn't leave me alone.

AN: Hey everyone, I just wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed this fic, and thanks for being so patient. I blame this VERY, VERY LONG hiatus on a serious case of writers block. I'm not giving up on this story… I promise. I've been talking to some Lit major friends of mine, and they've be giving me, a humble Bio major some pointers/ideas. I'm so sorry this has taken so long to post. Hopefully I can get to writing again. crosses fingers Sorry this chapter is so short. Chapter 9 will be out later today, or tomorrow.

Sincerely,

SarcasticWitch

"" Dialogue, _Italics- Chinese_

Translations:

Nimen de Bizui- Everyone shut up

Mei Mei- little sister

**Chapter 8: Tiger, Tiger burning bright…**

"What the hell is going on!? River, albatross, you have somethin' you've been meaning to tell me? Like the fact that there is a man on my ship that's been thinkin' of killing us! These are things a captain has to know."

"Stop yelling at her. She has obviously just been through something very traumatic. _Mei mei_, are you alright? Come with me, I want to check you over…"

"Doc, your sister is fine. Isn't that right River? What she needs to do is tell me what the _gorram_ hell is going on!"

"Captain, I'm her doctor, I think that I…"

"_Nimen de_ _bizui_!"

"Zoe?"

"I think River has something to say…"

To have all of them suddenly focused on me makes my head swim, they're combined emotions and thoughts press on me. For a moment I fear my brainpan may squish. It's the memory of those that are coming, those who will bring death to my family; that brings me back. I must tell them. They must be made to understand.

"A tiger in a cage is no longer a tiger, he is trapped, suffocated. You must open the door."

"Hey Crazy, he just tried to KILL you… Doc, I think your sister's lost it again."

"Doesn't matter. Inconsequential. Wasn't going to harm the girl."

"Albatross he had a knife to your belly, I think that's plannin' to harm."

"Was the girls fault, my fault, I took a stick and poked the tiger. Not to blame for retribution."

"What are you talking about _mei mei_?"

"Impugned his manhood, made him feel weak. He had to reciprocate in kind, had to threaten us."

"You kicked him in the nuts?"

"Impugn means to criticize or question."

"Oh."

"Zoë… am I invisible?"

"Sir?"

"I'm the captain of this boat and we just had a man threaten my crew, but instead of discussin' that, I find my doctor givin' my mercenary a vocabulary lesson!"

"You have to let him out."

"Let me think about it. No."

"You don't understand… he is going to save us, you must let him out."

"What are you talking about Crazy?"

"They are coming."

"Who _mei mei_?"

"The planet killers, the lovers of death."

"Well doesn't that just sound shiny. Zoë, you got any ideas?"

"Well sir, River hasn't led us wrong yet. But he did threaten to kill us. I think we should bring Mr. Riddick into this conversation."

"Can I cut on him?"

"Jayne…"

"NO!"

"Gorram it. I want to get me an ear."

"If you touch his ears, I will kill you with my brain."

"_Mei mei_!"

"As entertainin' as this conversation is, can we get back to the murderer on my boat? Zoe, Jayne go get our guest. Doc, you have something to make him less of a problem?"

"I have some sedatives, and muscle relaxants."

"Good. You go get those. Albatross, you stay here with me. We are gonna have ourselves a little talk."

"Captain, maybe I should stay with you and my sister…"

"Doc, do what I tell you. Now."

My brother fading steps echo within Serenity's metal walls. I look to Captain Daddy, he is angry, very angry.

"Albatross. You disappointed me today. I need to trust you; you're my pilot, my crew. If I can't trust you, we have a problem. Can I trust you?"

"Yes. Serenity is home, crew is family. I would not endanger them."

"Really? Well seems to me you let a dangerous man onto my boat. That's endangerin' us."

"He would not really harm us. He does not want to kill those who are guiltless. He is a murderer. He kills when he has to. He is grieving. Lost someone, something important. And they are chasing him. He just wants to live in free, like you captain, his skies are getting crowded. We need him; he's an integral piece of the puzzle. He must be allowed his freedom."

"You sure he's not gonna harm us?"

"Yes."

"Well then, I won't throw him out the airlock, not yet, at least. But you and me still need to discuss the telling of important information."

"Yes Captain Daddy, sir."


	9. In the forest of the night

Disclaimer: Firefly and Serenity both belong to Joss Whedon, Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick belong to Universal Studios and are produced by Vin Diesel

**Disclaimer:** Firefly and Serenity both belong to Joss Whedon, Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick belong to Universal Studios and are produced by Vin Diesel. I own absolutely nothing. I swear. Nor am I making any kind of money off of this piece of writing. It's merely an idea I had, that wouldn't leave me alone.

AN: I know it's a day late. Sorry. Lol.

**There is a very brief sexual description in this chapter. Just letting you know. **

"" Dialogue, _Italics- Chinese_

**Chapter 9: In the forest of the night…**

"Lord Vaako"

"What is it?"

"We are approaching the outskirts of the system."

"Any sign of our Lord Marshall?"

"No sir."

"Keep looking."

"Yes sir."

**They took my goggles**… That little bitch must have told them about my eyes. Fuck her. These cuffs aren't going to give either. My hands are restrained behind my back, and my ankles are tied up. Fuck. I'll wait though; they are going to mess up eventually. Let their guard down. Then I'll kill them, and I'll make her watch. Footsteps. Jayne…and Zoë. I wonder what their up too. Wonder what the captains sent them to do. Not that they can do much. Pain doesn't mean much to me. Not any more. I'll keep my eyes closed. They'll be less alert if they believe I'm unconscious.

"How in the hell does Mal expect us to get him up there?"

"He'll walk."

"Uh Zoë? He aint able. I hit him hard. It isn't somethin' a person just gets up from."

"He's awake. Time to walk to the mess Mr. Riddick. The captain wants a word."

"I need my lenses."

I can feel the heat from her body as she leans down, placing the dark plastic over my eyes. It would be so easy… I could take a bite out of her. Maybe get her jugular from here. The big mercenary will shoot me of course. He might not be able to get a good shot though, from this angle. She pulls away before I can act, I'm sure I'll get another chance though.

"Can you get up?"

It takes longer than I'd like, the ankle restraints make things difficult.

"Lead the way."

She leads, and he follows. He's keeping an eye on me, following my every movement. The walk takes longer than it should, the door to the mess is open, the captain and the little whore are sitting at the table…talking. Talking at a time like this. Maybe this crew is more stupid than I originally thought. The captain looks up from his conversation.

"Well Mr. Riddick, you come onto my boat, threaten my crew, manhandle my pilot, and cause all kinds of trouble for me and mine. My albatross says I need to let you go. She says your important. Says your gonna help save a lot of people. Now I aint well schooled, but my mama didn't raise a fool. River's never led us wrong. So I'm going to take those chains off of you. First though, the good doctor is going to give you a little something. It'll just take away the advantage you obviously have."

"I'm not gonna save anyone. You should kill me. I'd kill you."

"Well isn't that shiny. Doc?"

"Here. Mr. Riddick you will feel a slight pinch."

I barely feel the needle going in. Most drugs don't work on me. Good thing they don't know that. Seems like escaping is going to happen sooner than I'd planned. Good. The captain and the little bitch move to stand directly in front of me, seems like I'm going to have to kill her first. Damn. I would have liked to make her suffer more.

"Alright then. Jayne undo the cuffs."

"Uh Mal. I don't think that's a good idea."

"Jayne, I don't care."

The large man steps behind me. I can tell the moment he's opened the lock. I lunge. My hands go around that little whore's throat. The guns cocking don't dissuade me. I'm going to kill her. I can hear them all screaming at me to let her go. I don't care. It takes me only a second to decide to remove my lenses. The light in here is dim enough, and I want to look into her eyes, want to see the shock. Her brown eyes lock onto mine, they widen a fraction. I can feel myself smirking. Finally she understands who she decided to screw with. I feel the muzzle of a gun on the back of my head, I hear the captain telling me to let the girl go. Not going to happen. Our gaze doesn't break as I put more pressure on her wind pipe. Suddenly the world tilts. We're no longer in the mess, my hands no longer around her throat. We're in a bed, our clothes gone, and I'm sliding into her; her body arching into mine. She's whispering my name. Just as suddenly we're standing in the center of a bloody mess, back to back; the bodies of dead necromongers surrounding us, they are disemboweled, beaten, cut up. Some have their necks broken. Their blood covers us. Now we're standing in front of Vaako, side by side. Faster and faster I feel myself spinning in the dark. I feel absolute freedom. Her hand in mine, then her hands all over, touching me. Her skin beneath my hands, my mouth. I can see her asleep next to me, my arms around her. Her lips on mine, her scent surrounds me. The world suddenly rights itself, and we're back. Her crew screaming at us, my hands around her throat. Her eyes, and mine.

"You see. I told you, you wouldn't kill me." Her words are only a slight whisper, barely making through her lips.

I release her suddenly, and she falls to her knees gasping. The captain presses his gun even harder against the back of my head, as the doctor rushes over to his sister.

"Doc, she alright?"

"Of course not! He just tried to kill her! River? I need to look at your throat."

"I'm alright Simon. I'm alright. Its okay. He didn't understand. He does now."

"River I done told you we would do things your way, but he just tried to kill you. Its time to let me take care of this."

"No! No airlock. He didn't see the girls place. He does now. It's okay. He won't try again."

"Albatross you always manage to test my limits. Fine. Mr. Riddick, you move, you die. _Dong ma_?"

I nod. I don't know what that was. It reminds me though, of what happened before…

"There is no future until we settle our past." Her voice is still only a whisper. He throat must hurt.

"River, _mei mei_? What are you talking about? What past?"

"Not ours. His."

"Well Mr. Riddick, I think you have some explaining to do. Sit down over there. Move slow. And keep your hands where I can see them. Good. Now. Someone better tell me what the fuck is going on!"

"My name is Richard B. Riddick, escaped convict, murderer. I was being transported, couple years back, by a mercenary named Johns. He was a greedy bastard. Took the back route to get me back to slam. We didn't make it. Ship fell out of the sky. Hit the planet and hit hard. There were ten people, ten scared people who survived the crash. Not including myself. When I got off that rock there were only two left…"

The captain stares at me for a moment. "Did you kill the rest?"

"Only Johns"

"Then what happened? To the others?"

"There were worse things than me on that planet. Things that dwelled in the darkness."

"You said that two made it off with you?" It's Zoë who interrupts this time.

"A holy man was one. An Imam, who had been headed to New Mecca."

"And the other?"

"A kid. Jack."

"What happened to them?"

"I dropped them off."

"You didn't kill them?"

"No."

The captain is staring at me again.

"What happened after? River told me something about planet killers. Are they the things from that hunk of rock you crashed on?"

"No."

"I'm going to need a little bit more than that."

"Well according to this old witch I know…they are an army unlike any other, traveling across the stars toward a place called UnderVerse, their promised land. She called them necromongers; and according to her if they cannot convert you, they'll kill you."

"_Tai-kong suo-yo duh shing-chiou sai-jin wuh duh pee-goo.._. Zoë, tell me why we keep getting into these messes."

"I think it's your charming personality sir."

"We're humped aren't we?"

"I'd say so sir."

"Fuck."

**Translations:**

Dong ma- Understand

Mei-mei- Little sister

Tai-kong suo-yo duh shing-chiou sai-jin wuh duh pee-goo- All the planets in space stuffed into my butt.


End file.
